Franchise Information

OWN YOUR OWN FASHION BOUTIQUE!

Founded in 2007, Apricot Lane Boutique is a dynamic, stylish, responsive, truly unique franchise retail store opportunity. Our stores are located in high traffic shopping centers bringing the latest fashions and collections to your customers. The franchisees are supported by resources in all aspects of a retail operation.

With previous international exposure via temporary locations in both Disney centers (Anaheim and Orlando), Apricot Lane Boutique is quickly becoming a recognized brand by consumers, developers and fashion entrepreneurs nationwide. Apricot Lane was also recognized in the international and domestic showing of the CNN award winning documenary, "Everyday in Cambodia" for its work with 3Strands Global and their work against human tracfficking.

WHY APRICOT LANE BOUTIQUE?

Check out our "Discover Apricot Lane Boutique" trailer!

To see the full length version that provides a more comprehensive overview of our franchise opportunity, please fill out the short "Request Information" on this web page.

Hot Off the Runway Fashion

Our franchisees and corporate buyers team up to attend some of the largest fashion trade shows in America. In addition, each week, we meet with many of the Los Angeles Fashion District vendors through our on-site exclusive Apricot Lane buyer contracted by us to provide weekly buying opportunities. Our franchisees have the ability to quickly update merchandise so your boutique is always carrying the latest fashions hot off the runway.

Broad Selection of Styles

Our merchandise caters to a broad customer base ranging from ages 16 - 50+, with our core customer at 22 - 40+ years. We are a great mother/daughter boutique with something for everyone. We feature clothing that is perfect for a casual day spent with friends, a day at the office or a special night out on the town.

If you’d like to speak to someone by phone, please call 707-451-6890 and use extension 120.

Location, Location, Your Location!

Apricot Lane stores are ideal for many types of locations. We have a strong track record in outdoor lifestyle centers, regional malls, urban, tourist and community centers. We work closely with you to find the best location that will take advantage of your geographic preference, while ensuring the maximum exposure to your potential customer base.

Training Services

Once you have signed your Franchise Agreement, we will help you prepare to operate your own fashion boutique. Apricot Lane conducts a unique and comprehensive training program broken into four areas that cover all facets of the business operations:

Home Training (40 hours)

In the privacy of your home and on your schedule, you will read and be quizzed on our home training manuals. From there you’ll begin to learn the inventory management software on an Apple® computer. Throughout the home training program, you will complete exercises to reinforce learning.

Classroom Training in the Beautiful Sacramento Valley (5 days)

During classroom training we’ll focus on buying, store management, customer service, marketing and inventory management. One of your days will be a field trip to the Los Angeles Fashion District where you will spend the day with our on-site buyer for a big picture introduction to the fashion industry and meet some key suppliers.

On Location Training (3-5 days)

This is where you and your staff learn the art of visual merchandising from our merchandiser and store opener. In addition to setting displays, understanding sales systems, training staff on customer service and product knowledge, you will be assured all the details are handled for a smooth and successful store opening.

120 Day, Post-opening Support

Our goal is to establish a strong foundation of good habits from the very beginning. Over the first 120 days we will track your operations closely by reviewing reports during scheduled conference calls. During these check-ins, we will provide assistance with reordering, marketing implementation and stat reviews. Support is always just a phone call away.

Support

Pre-Opening Support

As an Apricot Lane franchisee, you will receive the support of our national franchise company. We stay on top of marketplace changes, trends, and styles so you can focus on your staff, customers and merchandise. We provide you with resources, programs and tools to help you run your business.

Our support begins with helping you open your store. Store opening is a busy time, but you can have confidence knowing you have a team behind you who’s done it all before. Our Store Support Team will personally assist you as you prepare to open your Apricot Lane Boutique.

The following are key areas of pre-opening support:

Assistance with site selection and lease negotiations through our approved third party resources

Store design, layout and construction coordination through our approved third party resources

Initial inventory orders

Fixture sourcing and orders

Store sign criteria and execution through our approved sign company

In-store signage package

Eye-catching point of purchase materials

Sales point system through our approved POS provider

Home training program

Apricot Lane University (in person training)

On-site training

On-site merchandising

Grand opening marketing kit

Continuing Support

While training prepares you to own your own boutique, we also provide you with resources that will help you promote your boutique and build your business well after your opening including free support services contracted through the Cambeo Group, a retail consultant, who works with us to create custom support services including free ongoing consulting.

Experienced Support Staff – Ongoing support is a phone call or email away

Marketing Support

Apricot Lane and its advertising agency provide marketing and promotional materials to help you communicate with your target market and primary customers. We supply many unique and different programs so you can decide through experience and marketing analysis what will work best in your market area. These programs are inexpensive and easy to use.

Social Media – Engage in social media with us, the fastest growing, ever-changing tool to reach your target audiences

Ongoing Promotions – Generate traffic and purchases anytime of the year by selecting from our list of ongoing promotions. These unique in-store programs include a complete set of marketing support tools

E-mail – Stay in direct contact with your customers with an online, permission-based email program that enables you to send emails anytime for all the right reasons – sales, promotions, coupons, new merchandise, featured product, etc.

Individual Store Web Page – An individual store web page, simple and directive information, effective and professional social networking links that you can use to communicate with your customer base

Investment & Other Financial Requirements

In 2015, the typical investment is $288,550 for the first time franchisee, and this includes the Initial Franchise Fee of $29,500. The high and low range based on historical experience is $131,300 to $409,800 (see 2015 Franchise Disclosure Document for details).

If you are planning to obtain financing you will need a minimum of $100,000 in cash or liquid assets, in addition to the collateral to apply against the remainder of a loan. Although Apricot Lane Boutique does not provide in-house financing, we can refer you to one of our preferred lenders.

What Does the Investment Cover?

The initial investment includes everything you will need to open your doors such as store design, inventory, furniture and fixtures, equipment, site selection and leasing consultant, working capital, on-site training and in-store merchandising.

Business Loans

Most franchise candidates find they can fund their business by accessing capital they already have available through the equity in their home or by accessing qualifying retirement plans such as a 401k without incurring penalties or experiencing tax consequences. Financing options may also include third party (family, friends, existing business partners) or traditional bank loans.

Testimonials

“After working in the corporate world for many years Susan and I decided it was time to secure our own future and after researching many other franchises, we thought Apricot Lane would be the perfect fit for us. With Apricot Lane, their brand and our discipline, it helped us to see that it was a winning combination. We are the proud owners of a franchise that also connects with our beliefs. Apricot Lane is so much more than a nationally known boutique where fashionistas can find great brands, styles and fashions, it is a franchise with a mission of making a difference in the world and helping those less fortunate. Apricot Lane has a great history of giving and doing their part of giving back to a program called 3strands, which helps young girls and women make better lives for themselves. The Country Visions team is very supportive and helpful and they have been from the very beginning. They are always willing to provide whatever guidance you may need. We just celebrated our first year anniversary and we will be opening our second store later this year.”

-Susan & Jeff Kittle, Center Valley PA

“I started the store four years ago with the idea of having moms and daughters come shopping together to have a wonderful experience, and it still holds true today. We also see grandma tagging along! We donate to charities, we offer summer fashion camp and we work with girls and their high schools to teach them about fashion. I do want to mention that I do love being part of the franchise. They offer buying tools, the vendor discounts are wonderful, we have monthly conference calls where we can share and learn about each other’s business because each store is unique and I do really enjoy being apart of that.”

-Wendy Lytle, Louisville KY

“Apricot Lane was first introduced to me by my daughter Ashley after visiting another Apricot Lane Boutique. After our online virtual discovery day, we knew Apricot Lane was a perfect fit. We soon found out that it isn’t just a franchise, but a family. The Country Visions staff is incredible! We received so much support and education, personal development and growth in the business operations. Apricot Lane has allowed our family to follow our dreams and passion for helping other people look and feel beautiful!”

-Carol Johnson, Madison WI

“It’s been six years since we’ve opened our first store. Prior to being an Apricot Lane franchisee, I was a Senior Retail Executive for 25+ years. The question I’m most often asked is “why with all your retail experience, would you want to be apart of a franchise?” and the reasons are several; One would be meeting Ken. I knew that this was a culture that we would want to be apart of. Two, having come from a corporate environment, I knew that there was great power in being apart of a team. Also, Ken promised me and came through on this promise about flexibility, we get to buy what we want and we get the support of the team behind that. I knew that the name would come to be an important name in years to come and now with us approaching 100 stores, people come into our store and say they are familiar with Apricot Lane. Lastly, the power of being co-op, there’s close to 100 stores out there, we get to share information, we get to use each others information and we’re far more powerful as a group than we would be as individuals. I thought that this would be a good decision and it turned out to be a great one!”

-Barry Shapiro, South Beach FL

“Country Visions is a wonderful franchise to be involved in. It’s a franchise that allows you to own your own business but yet have the help and benefits and support of being involved in a franchise. You’re allowed to purchase the merchandise that you want to carry in your store and also that your customers want. There are always bumps and stress and situations along the way of having your own business, but with Country Visions, there’s always someone there to help you along the way. Overall, being apart of Apricot Lane has been a wonderful experience in my life!”

-Jeanie Anderson, Fargo ND

“During the process of opening my store in April 2012, I received a tremendous amount of help and support from everyone at Country Visions. At the Vacaville corporate headquarters, I found nothing but generous, knowledgeable and caring people to help me with the grueling task each storeowner faces with opening. I’ve built a fantastic client base in this time. I feel this is a result from great customer service, marketing, buying and operative assistance I have received from corporate resources. All I have to do is call, email or contact someone, and they’re there to help me with any problem that arises in my store day in, day out. Thank you so much!”

-Nikoline Bergstrom, Los Altos CA

“Apricot Lane gave us the opportunity to open our own small business while having the security of an experienced corporate structure behind us. Having the Apricot Lane name opened doors for us to be able to have a premier retail location and the opportunity to include some of the top brands into our inventory. One of our favorite things about Apricot Lane is that we are able to embrace what makes us unique and we hand select every item that comes into our store. Getting to work together as a family and experiencing our hard work together, is one of the greatest feelings there is!”

-Cathy, Craig, & Allison Young, Dallas TX/San Antonio TX

“I had always wanted to open a Boutique and at one time actually thought I would just open one on my own. One day while researching Boutique Franchises I discovered the Apricot Lane Franchise. What a blessing that I decided to pick up the phone that day and make the call. After talking with them I knew immediately they would help me turn a life-long-dream into a reality. Making a smart investment and good financial decisions were very important to me and I learned quickly that the Apricot Lane Franchise would help me accomplish that. The entire process took about eight months and the Apricot Lane support staff was there with me every step of the way. Now, after more than I year into this I am so happy to say I could not have had the success I do without the wonderful resources and support the Apricot Lane Franchise has given me. The owner, Ken Peterson and his staff are the most down to earth folks that I have ever met. I love that they stand for the same values I do, which was what really sealed the deal for me. My advice to anyone considering opening a Boutique in the future is to find a great partner that has experience in the business. With that said, I highly recommend the Apricot Lane Franchise”.

-Loni Beinek, Bismarck ND

Ken and his team at Apricot lane have created an unusual concept that encourages a real sense of ownership while being a part of a franchise organization. They provide all of the tools to be successful through the "right" balance of structure and flexibility. The team provides great expertise in every aspect of setting up a successful business. From lease negotiations, to store design, to setting up systems... they made the process easy and organized. 3 Years later, they continue to be a great support and partner. The best part of working with Ken and his team is the freedom and flexibility they provide for each of us to focus on our customer. The ability to merchandise and market to your specific location and customers makes Apricot lane a very special franchise concept.

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Disclaimer: Provided in accordance with FTC guidelines of 12/1/2009 Testimonials posted to this website are the perspective of individuals who are successful and/or enthusiastic about their experience.Testimonials are not representative of everyone's experience and only provide information about the individual's experiences as to the point in time when they are provided. All testimonials are authentic and accurate. Testimonials may be edited for clarity or brevity. All claims have been documented and verified for accuracy. No one has been paid to share his or her stories here. Individual results will vary.

Apricot Lane stores are independently owned and operated. The communications made in or through this web site do not constitute an offer of any franchise in or to residents of any jurisdiction that requires registration of a Country Visions franchise before the franchise is offered or sold. The communications made in or through this web site are not directed to the residents of any such jurisdiction. No Country Visions franchise will be sold to any resident of a jurisdiction requiring pre-sale registration until the offer has been duly registered or exempted from registration under the laws of that jurisdiction and until all required disclosure documents, if any, have been delivered to the prospective Franchisee in compliance with applicable law.

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